A/N: Well, it's been a long time I've updated this story, so here it is! Thank you all for the kind reviews. This chapter is a little dramatic, but I hope you don't find it boring. Well, enjoy! Reviews are welcome but not necessary. ^-^
Chapter Six
The weekend had been too harsh on Takashi. He was not able to sleep well at all. His mind kept on repeating on the crying Ella every time he closed his eyes. He was not able to have a peace of mind. And because of it, it took a toll on his body. Mitsukuni was also not able to relieve Takashi's numbness that was brought upon him.
School started once again. He had finally made up his mind to talk to Ella, to tell her he wasn't hurt but was confused about his feelings. He knew it was better to speak immediately as he could. He didn't want to lose her friendship. But most of all, he didn't want to lose her.
He looked around for her. He felt worried when he did not see Ella at the entrance, so he decided to speak to her when he had classes with her. Homeroom passed far too slowly to him. Mitsukuni watched at his cousin worriedly. He could see the bags under Takashi's eyes, and he noticed how tired he became. There was such distance in his eyes that Mitsukuni was afraid to lose him.
"What should I do? Isn't there any way I can help Takashi?" Mitsukuni thought.
Homeroom did not end yet until the door suddenly opened to reveal a panicked Lina. She looked around and saw Mitsukuni and Takashi. The teacher was about to tell Lina to leave, but she glared at the teacher before he could say anything. The teacher stayed silent and she looked back at Mitsukuni and Takashi.
"I need to talk to you two privately. Now," Lina ordered with a growl yet there was worry etched onto her expression. She then stepped out the classroom and waited for Mitsukuni and Takashi.
They apologized to the teacher before stepping out of the classroom. By the time they stepped out of the classroom, the whole Host Club and Kasanoda were there. Their heads lowered except for Kyoya which immediately alarmed Takashi and Mitsukuni that something may have happened. It looked like there was some sort of bad news.
"Ella..." Lina started, but she was not the one to finish. Her voice was caught in her throat.
"... she's in the hospital. There was an accident," Kyoya finished for her. He pushed up his glasses and sighed. "She is currently in the emergency room."
Takashi's and Mitsukuni's eyes widened in shock. Takashi felt his whole body become numb. Was that the reason he did not see Ella at the entrance? And before he knew it, his whole body shook. There was an uncontrollable anger and anguish squeezing his chest. Flashbacks started running through his mind's eye.
"Takashi?" Mitsukuni asked his cousin worriedly.
Takashi hid half of his face with his hand and shook his head. He did not want to believe this.
"How?" Takashi could only say. When there was no answer, he repeated once again but his voice was more powerful this time. "How?"
Kyoya sighed once again and answered his question.
"She was walking to school. She saw a young girl trying to get a ball on the street and there was a speeding car coming towards her. Ella saw the car and crossed the street to get to the girl. She saved her, but she was hit by the car before she could manage to get out of the way."
Takashi did not hear all of what Kyoya said and only picked up on the keypoints. He only heard the part where she saved a girl from a speeding car, and she got hit. Everything else was blurred.
"We should get to the hospital," Tamaki finally said. His voice somewhat calm to everyone's ears yet everyone knew he was trying to be the strong leader for them.
"I've already called the limousine. It should be waiting outside for us now," Kyoya told them. Everyone nodded, but everyone including Kasanoda, who did not speak at all during this whole meeting, looked at Takashi.
"I... will stay here," Takashi said, his low voice wavering. He wouldn't be able to handle seeing Ella in the hospital bed. It reminded him of that day where he watched her on the hospital bed, laying still.
It was sudden, even Mitsukuni didn't see it. Before everyone could blink, Kasanoda had already grasped by the collar of Takashi's uniform and pushed him to the wall. He was seething with anger, and his brows were knitted together.
"What do you mean you won't go?" Kasanoda yelled. The ruckus caused the nearby classrooms to open their doors and students and teachers started to peek their heads out to see what the commotion was about.
Thankfully, the Host Club hid them with their bodies so they were out of sight. One of the teachers asked if everything is okay. And of course, Tamaki's sweet talk and Kyoya's explanation had eased the minds of the teachers. It didn't take long before everyone returned back to their classes. Kasanoda was still holding onto Takashi's collar and Takashi's back was still against the wall.
"I can't. I won't go," Takashi told him. His eyes looking straight into Kasanoda's eyes. Kasanoda's eyes widened in surprise from his answer and the pain seeping through his expression. Kasanoda sounded out a 'tch' and let him go. He turned his head away.
"You coward," he whispered. He took a step away from Takashi, who seemed to look like an empty shell by that time. Kasanoda looked over at Kyoya and said, "I'll be waiting outside for you guys." He soon walked away without turning back. His hands inside his pockets hiding the shaking fists he had put inside. He was still shaking from knowing Ella was in the hospital, and he was shaking even more from seeing Takashi's emptiness.
Mitsukuni turned his head towards Takashi and frowned. He was about to get closer to Takashi, but Takashi suddenly collapsed to the floor and on his knees. Tears streamed down his face and he frantically shook his head to and fro. His weakness could no longer hide away from everyone.
"My fault. It's my fault," Takashi repeated over and over again in an incoherent mumbling. Mitsukuni and Sakuno were in tears to see him become like this. The others had to tear their heads away from such a broken scene. Some of them had tears forming in their eyes, but they didn't let them fall.
It took five minutes before everyone except for Takashi to leave the school and had their emotions in check before they went to the hospital to know about Ella's condition. Takashi went back to class, but he was unfocused. There was nothing he wanted to learn about except for Ella's condition. He prayed for her to be okay throughout his classes.
School ended too slowly for Takashi. He could not answer to anyone greeting him or bidding him goodbye. His body felt so cold to him. So empty. He wanted to close his eyes and escape. Before he knew it, he was walking on the sidewalk somewhere, not knowing where he was. His phone suddenly rang and he immediately picked it up.
"Takashi?" He could hear Mitsukuni call his name.
"How is she?" He could only ask his cousin. He heard a sigh.
"She is unconscious for now, but her injuries aren't too bad. She had some broken ribs, and she hit her head from the concrete. Other than that, she would be okay," Mitsukuni answered.
Even though Takashi should be glad to know she had minimal damage, he still wasn't relieved. Nothing can relieve him from almost losing her and the fear that he would lose her forever. He had sat on a nearby bench and looked up at the sky. The clouds were dark and cloudy just like the stirring emotions inside him. He want to let these feelings out just like those dark, cloudy skies.
"Mitsukuni, what should I do?" He finally asked. Mitsukuni could hear his desperate plea to tell him what to do. His voice was too hollow, so empty. If Mitsukuni doesn't say anything now, he might lose his friend and cousin.
"Takashi, it's time to stop hiding. It's time to confront Ella. Don't be afraid and show your true self. Tell her how much you love her," Mitsukuni told him in a caring yet serious tone. Takashi froze and he suddenly felt his legs buckle. He fell only to be held up by his knees. People passing by watched with worry and debated to help Takashi or not. But in the end, they continued on their way, ignoring the boy in need.
"I love... Ella?" Takashi whispered more to himself than to Mitsukuni.
"We almost lost her once, and we almost lost her again. Do you want to lose her the third time?" Mitsukuni asked. He needed to open Takashi's eyes. "She loves you, Takashi. Why are you taking a step back when you feel the same?"
"Mitsukuni... I- I can't," Takashi answered
"She needs you, Takashi! Stop holding back," Mitsukuni yelled angrily. He could no longer contain his patience anymore. Ella was hurting. Takashi was hurting. He was even hurting from watching those two get hurt. Ella had just been in an accident, and she needs Takashi the most here with her. She needs him to tell her it will be okay. He needed to tell her everything is okay.
"I'm afraid to see her hurt again, Mitsukuni. I do not deserve to see her. I couldn't save her last time, and I couldn't save her now. I failed her," Takashi confessed. On the other side, Mitsukuni eyes started to tear up at his cousin's broken voice. Mitsukuni knew failure was not an option to Takashi, and failing to protect Ella twice was the biggest blow to him. Mitsukuni understood, but he could no longer turn the blind anymore when Takashi wasn't here with Ella.
"Takashi-" Mitsukuni started but Kyoya took the phone from Mitsukuni. Mitsukuni looked up at him with surprise. Kyoya's index finger was up to gesture Mitsukuni to be quiet.
"Mori-senpai, not being with Ella right now means you are letting her go. If you are ready to say goodbye then you have already done so," Kyoya told him simply before closing the cell phone and giving it back to Mitsukuni.
"Kyo-chan-" Mitsukuni started but he was once again cut off by Kyoya.
"He failed her when he didn't come here. He made his choice," Kyoya explained before pushing up his glasses. "Honey-senpai, you know as well as I do that fear is no excuse for him not to come here."
Mitsukuni sighed yet tears fell down mercilessly from his eyes.
"Ella would be so broken-hearted just like Takashi would be," Mitsukuni said through his tears.
Kyoya looked over at Sakuno who saw his expression. She understood immediately. Not a second later, she was already by Mitsukuni's side and hugged him so he could cry freely. Sakuno could feel her tears starting to form in her eyes as she watched him cry. Kyoya went back to Lina's side, who seemed to still feel shaken about Ella's accident. Kyoya held her and she laid her head on his shoulder.
"That idiot didn't come," Lina told him. Kyoya nodded his head which she felt.
"He will come to his senses," Kyoya told her. She shook her head.
"And how long would that take? Until she's gone for real?" She asked angrily before she got off of his shoulder and stomped off somewhere to cool her head. Kyoya watched her disappear into another hallway and shook his head with a sigh.
Kasanoda heard their conversation but kept quiet. His arms were crossed and his eyes darkened. He was clearly upset and was also shaken from the whole ordeal. He never experienced this trauma before, and he did not know how to deal with it. He couldn't help but blame one person, and that one person is Takashi Morinozuka.
Meanwhile, Takashi looked at his cell phone. His mouth gaped open and his eyes widened in surprise after the phone call ended. He was speechless and more lost than ever before. There wasn't anyone by his side to show him the way or comfort him. No one. He was alone on the streets by himself while Ella had everyone there for her. He should feel angry, but he was thankful. Nobody would be able see how broken he is, and Ella would be surrounded by people who care about her even though he wasn't there.
He should be. He knew he should be there for her. But he couldn't. He loved her. He really did. But in all, he wouldn't be able to handle it. Couldn't handle to see her on the hospital bed with bruises and cuts. No, he wouldn't be able to handle seeing his precious Ella like that.
His? So he really did love her, huh? He messed everything up, and Takashi knew that. And not being there for her had damaged their relationship even further. His whole body could feel the burden nagging at him. Screaming at him to make it better. To mend things. He had to do it or else he would lose her forever. But was there still time to make things better? Takashi knew he had to work for it. Oh yes, he had a lot of work to repair the damage. But everything goes back to one question, was he going to take action before it is too late?
Ella started to stir from her slumber. She felt her whole body aching, and some parts hurt more than others. She blinked a few times to adjust to the light. Just as she did, she saw her parents there, staring at her worriedly. She remembered what happened after a minute of trying to understand what happened.
And before she knew it, she spoke in her ragged voice, "Is the little girl okay?"
Her mother with her teary eyes had nodded "yes" to her question. Ella smiled and nodded back, letting out a sigh of relief knowing that the child is safe. It was then she turned to her father. He looked worried, and the man was never usually worried.
"Mom, Dad, I'm sorry for worrying you," Ella said softly. A second later, her mother started to weep with relief, knowing her child is alive and safe. Her father calmed her with a hug. He nodded at Ella, telling in his own way that he is relieved and that she is forgiven. Ella let out a wide smile to show her appreciation.
"Your classmates, I assume they are your friends, are waiting outside your room. Do you want to see them?" His father asked in a rather calm tone, though Ella knew he was far from calm. He is, after all, her father. And knowing his daughter was in an accident could cause any father to be shaken. Well, the ones that love their children do, and he is one of those people.
"Yes, dad. I would like that very much," she answered. She cleared her throat from the scratchy feeling. Her father poured her a glass of water and gave it to her which Ella thanked him for before her parents left to get her classmates.
One by one, they entered. Everyone was present except for one. The one who meant a lot to her was not there. Ella felt hurt yet relieved at the same time. She wanted to see him, but she didn't want to see Takashi's pained look. She had already caused him enough pain and guilt. She wouldn't be able to endure it if she was once again the cause of his pain.
"Are you okay, Ella?" Mitsukuni asked, tears falling from his eyes as he immediately yet gently hugged her. Ella smiled and nodded against him.
"I'm fine, though it hurts a little," Ella whispered. Mitsukuni let her go, wiped away his tears, and smiled. She smiled at him in return.
She looked up at everyone, and most of them had a concerned look. Kasanoda took a step forward, yet he looked away as he did so. His hands were shivering, and he couldn't make it stop. His legs were about to give in, but he stayed strong.
Ella noticed, but she didn't know what to do or say in this circumstance. The only thing she could do now is smile and show everyone that she was okay.
On the other hand, she felt so broken inside. She was suffering not only physically but emotionally as well. The one person that hurt her the most was Takashi. In a way, Ella felt abandoned by her most beloved friend. But of course, she could never truly blame him. The one person she should fault was her. She was the one that forced her presence onto Takashi that made him push her away. She felt overwhelmed from it all. The pain. The guilt. The past. All of it.
But for now, she had to be strong. For them. Her friends. From now on, she was going to focus on her energy in recovering from the accident. And from there, she will take one step at a time to recovery. And to add to that, no matter how much it hurts her, she had to let him go. It was about time she gave up on Takashi Morinozuka, her most important person.